Leg assembly for a figure toy

ABSTRACT

A pair of legs connected together by a bight portion received in a stirrup on a cylindrical member adapted to be engaged in the leg-receiving aperture of a figure toy having a pair of arms and hands extending generally vertically from the top of its head so that the figure toy may be inverted and stood on its hands.

United States Patent Inventors Ralph Dunn Manhattan Beach; Armando l. Villasana, Los Angeles, both of, Calif. Appl. No. 23,149 Filed Mar. 27, 1970 Patented July 6, 1971 Assignee Mattel, Inc.

Hawthrone, Calif.

LEG ASSEMBLY FOR A FIGURE TOY 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

1.1.81 Cl .t 46/22 Int. Cl 1. .A63h 33/00 Field 01 Search 1. 46/22, 161, 162, 163, 164

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,019.516 11/1935 Weinberg 46/22 3.477 167 11/1969 Ach .1 46/22 3,520,078 7/1970 Klamer 46/22 Primary Examiner- Louis G. Mancene Assirtant ExaminerDr L. Weinhold Attorney-Seym0ur Av Sc'holnick ABSTRACT: A pair of legs connected together by a bight portion received in a stirrup on a cylindrical member adapted to be engaged in the leg-receiving aperture of a figure toy having a pair of arms and hands extending generally vertically from the top of its head so that the figure toy may be inverted and stood on its hands.

ILIEG ASSEMWLY ll Ollt A IFIGIUIIIE TOY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention will be set-forth in two parts.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains generally to the field of figure toys and more particularly to an improved leg assembly for a figure toy.

2. Description of the Prior Art 7 US. Pat. Nos. 2,598,781 and 3,298,131 disclose different types of leg assemblies for figure toys. One of the leg assemblies shown in US. Pat. No. 3,298,131 includes a pair of legs and feet which are connected ogether by a bight portion forming a unitary structure which may be inserted into position through a pair of leg openings provided in the lower body portion of the figure toy. The present invention exemplifies improvements over leg assemblies of this type.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful leg assembly for a figure toy.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a leg assembly of the type described for a figure toy having a pair of arms and hands extending generally vertically from the top of its head so that the figure toy may be inverted and stood on its hands.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful leg assembly for a figure toy having a legreceiving aperture including a pair of legs connected together by a bight portion, a cylindrical member including a stirrup engaging the bight portion and means retaining the cylindrical member in the aperture in such a position that the legs extend substantially vertically from the figure toy.

According to the present invention, a figure toy is provided which includes a body portion having an encompassing wall including a top portion, a bottom portion and an intermediate portion. Facial features are provided on the intermediate portion, an elongated recess is provided in the top portion and an aperture is provided in the bottom portion.

A first U-shaped appendage member simulates arms and hands with the arms being connected together by a bight por tion. The hands extend from the ends of the arms which are remote from the bight portion and have planar portions lying in the same plane. The bight portion of the first appendage member is secured in the elongated recess with the arms ex tending generally vertically from the top portion when the figure toy is in an upright position. The planar portions are adapted to support the figure toy in an inverted position. A second U-shaped appendage member includes a pair of legs connected together by a bight portion which is received in a stirrup provided on a cylindrical member. This cylindrical member is maintained in position in the aperture so that the legs extend substantially vertically from the figure toy.

The cylindrical member includes first and second semicylindrical portions connected together at a first end by the stirrup. Snap means secures the semicylindrical portions together in a closed position with the stirrup extending as a loop from the first end so that the cylindrical member may be opened to receive the bight portion of the legs in the stirrup and then closed by the snap means to retain the bight portion in the stirrup. The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of use, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TIIE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring again to the drawing, a figure toy constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, generally designated Ml, includes a body portion 112 having an encompassing sidewall lld including a top portion lie, at bottom portion llil and an intermediate portion 241'.

The-intermediate portion 2%} is provided with facial features including a pair of ears 22, 241, a pair of eyes 26, 23, a nose 30 and a mouth 32.

An elongated recess 34 is provided in top portion I6 of wall M and an aperture 365 is provided in bottom portion Zlfi. Aperture 36 is formed by the lower end 3d of a hollow cylindrical member as extending upwardly inside body portion I2.

Figure toy it) includes a first lU-shaped appendage member 32 including a pair of arms dd, $6 each having a first end 48 formed integrally with a bight portion 50 and a free end 52 provided with a hand 54 extending outwardly therefrom. Each hand he includes a planar portion 56 for supporting figure toy MB on a suitable surface 5% (FIG. 2) when figure toy 10 is inverted. Thus, planar portions 56 lie in the same plane.

Figure toy ll ll also includes a leg assembly 60 including a second U-shaped appendage member as including a pair of legs 6 he each having a first end 6% formed integrally with a bight portion 7t) and a free end 72 provided with a foot 74.

Leg assembly 64) also includes a cylindrical member 76 comprising a pair of semicylindrical portions 78, 80 each having a first end 82'; to which a stirrup 843 is connected. semicylindrical member d0 carries a male snap member 86 engageable in a female snap member 88 on semicylindrical member 7% for connecting the members 78, 80 together, as shown in FIG. 3. semicylindrical members 7%, 80 are shown in FIG. 1 in an open position for reception of bight portion 70 in stirrup M. Bight portion 70 will then be trapped by stirrup 84 when members 753, as are closed, but will be free to rotate so that appendage member 62 may be swung to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 for setting figure toy II] on a suitable surface 9%. Alternatively, appendage member 62 may be swung to the broken line position shown in FIG. 3 where feet 74 support figure toy III on a suitable surface 92.

Cylindrical member 76 is provided with an annular recess 94 engageable with an annular collar 96 in hollow cylindrical member It) for retaining member '76 in position in aperture 36 and such a position that leg assembly 60 extends substantially vertically from figure toy 110.

It should be noted that a slight annular recess is formed between end 32 and recess 94 to facilitate attaching a costume to member 76.

Although body portion 112 is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as being generally spherical, it is to be understood that other suitable shapes may be employed.

While the particular leg assembly and figure toy herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

I. In a figure toy having a leg-receiving aperture, a leg assembly comprising:

a pair of legs connected together by a bight portion;

a cylindrical member including a stirrup engaging said bight portion; and

such a position .that said leg assembly extends substantially vertically from said figure toy.

2. A leg assembly as stated in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical member comprises:

first and second semicylindrical portions connected together at a first end by said stirrup; and

snap means securing said semicylindrical portions together in a closed position with said stirrup extending as a loop from said first end, whereby said cylindrical member may be opened to receive said bight portion in said stirrup and then closed by said snap means to retail said bight portion in said stirrup.

3. A figure toy, comprising:

a body portion having an encompassing wall including a top 7 portion, a bottom portion and an intermediate portion;

facial features provided on said intermediate portion;

an elongated recess provided in said top portion; an aper' ture provided in said bottom portion; a first U-shaped appendage member simulating arms and hands, said arms being connected together by a bight portion, said hands extending from the ends of said arms which are remote from said bight portion and having planar portions lying in the same plane;

means; securing said bight portion in said elongated recess with said arms extending generally vertically from said top portion when said figure toy is in an upright position,

said planar portions being adapted to support said figure toy in an inverted position; and

a pair of legs and feet extending from said aperture for supporting said figure toy in an upright position.

4. A figure toy as stated in claim 3 wherein said legs and feet are a unitary U-shaped structure connected together by a bight portion and wherein said figure toy includes a cylindrical plug having a stirrup carrying said bight portion of said legs and a cylindrical portion engaged in said aperture.

5. In a figure toy having a leg-receiving aperture, a leg assembly comprising:

a pair oflegs'connected together by a bight portion:

a cylindrical member includinga stirrup engaging said bight portion;

means retaining said cylindrical member in said aperture in 'such a position that said leg assembly extends substantially vertically from said figure toy; and

means provided on said cylindrical member for retaining a costume in position thereon.

6. A leg assembly as stated in claim 5 wherein said means retaining said cylindrical member in said aperture includes a first annular recess on said cylindrical member.

7. A leg assembly as stated in claim 5 wherein said means for retaining a costume in position on said cylindrical member comprises a second annular recess. 

1. In a figure toy having a leg-receiving aperture, a leg assembly comprising: a pair of legs connected together by a bight portion; a cylindrical member including a stirrup engaging said bight portion; and means retaining said cylindrical member in said aperture in such a position that said leg assembly extends substantially vertically from said figure toy.
 2. A leg assembly as stated in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical member comprises: first and second semicylindrical portions connected together at a first end by said stirrup; and snap means securing said semicylindrical portions together in a closed position with said stirrup extending as a loop from said first end, whereby said cylindrical member may be opened to receive said bight portion in said stirrup and then closed by said snap means to retail said bight portion in said stirrup.
 3. A figure toy, comprising: a body portion having an encompassing wall including a top portion, a bottom portion and an intermediate portion; facial features provided on said intermediate portion; an elongated recess provided in said top portion; an aperture provided in said bottom portion; a first U-shaped appendage member simulating arms and hands, said arms being connected together by a bight portion, said hands extending from the ends of said arms which are remote from said bight portion and having planar portions lying in the same plane; means securing said bight portion in said elongated recess with said arms extending generally vertically from said top portion when said figure toy is in an upright position, said planar portions being adapted to support said figure toy in an inverted position; and a pair of legs and feet extending from said aperture for supporting said figure toy in an upright position.
 4. A figure toy as stated in claim 3 wherein said legs and feet are a unitary U-shaped structure connected together by a bight portion and wherein said figure toy includes a cylindrical plug having a stirrup carrying said bight portion of said legs and a cylindrical portion engaged in said aperture.
 5. In a figure toy having a leg-receiving aperture, a leg assembly comprising: a pair of legs connected together by a bight portion: a cylindrical member including a stirrup engaging said bight portion; means retaining said cylindrical member in said aperture in such a position that said leg assembly extends substantially vertically from said figure toy; and means provided on said cylindrical member for retaining a costume in position thereon.
 6. A leg assembly as stated in claim 5 wherein said means retaining said cylindrical member in said aperture includes a first annular recess on said cylindrical member.
 7. A leg assembly as stated in claim 5 wherein said means for retaining a costume in position on said cylindrical member comprises a second annular recess. 